NEWS IN BRIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9213, 16 November 1888, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF.

Amateurs in Dunedin are about to produce " Othello."

Garden robberies are frequent, and are much complained of in Wellington. A 90-ounco nugget of gold hits been found on the Cania field, near Gladstone, Queensland.

The revenue for next year is estimated by the Sydney Colonial Treasurer at £9,040,368. A rich alluvial seam of tin has been discovered 80 miles from Port Douglas, North Queensland. At the beginning of last month there were only fifty-four miles of railway in iouree of construction in New South Wales. Seventy-two millions sterling have been obtained up to the end of last year from the various mining industries in New South Wales. , , The total increase for the year ended June 30, 1888, in the number of passengers carried on all Now South Wales lines was 722,312. Bread is being sold at Croydon at the rate of 6d per lb, owing to the scarcity of flour. The price of water has also been fixed at 3s per cask. . Official information has been given to the British India Steamship Company of the termination of their Torres Straits mail contract on February 1, IS9O. Statistics of manufactories show that in Victoria there aro 2770 works employing 45,773 hands; and in New South Wales 3694 works employing 45,783 hands. A girl aged five years, and her brother aged three, the children of Thomas Treloar, manager of the United Ulster Mines, were burned to death at Sandhurst recently. There are 47,000,000 sheep in New South Wales. This is the largest number of stock ever known iu the history of that colony, and double the number depastured in IS7S. A few days ago Mr. E. G. B. Moss, solicitor, Tauranga, and a friend were driving to Te Puke, when the horse ran off, the bugsry was capsized, and the occupants received a severe shaking. News from Mauritius states that the general yield of new crop sugar is very satisfactory, all sugars being suitable for the Australian markets. The mill work is constantly interrupted by heavy rain. The Canterbury papers could not have survived the dullness of the last few weeks had it not been for the escape of the Maori | prisoner, Murray. They have been almost independent of the Whitechapel atrocities. Telegraphic business in Melbourne inci- j dental to the Cup Day was unprecedented. The Sydney office alone sent 3106 messages, and 4296 were received for delivery in°Melbourne, while 2103 telegrams were despatched from the racecourse. The Queensland Legislative Assembly has determined to present an address to the Governor praying that a reward of £5000 be offered to any person or company who first, manufactures from cotton grown in the colony cotton goods to the value of £5000. A considerable number of sales were made at the Otago Art Society's exhibition, when it had been opened only for a day or two. Mr. Giff'ord sold a picture of his, named Pacific Breakers,' to the Art Society. In the United Kingdom (says the English Mechanic) there is one passenger station for every 19'1 square miles of area, and one for every 1"3 mile of line, or a total of 6211. The average number of passengers per annum for each station is 120/750. It is stated that the late Mr. Dalley s speeches and writings, which are very voluminous, extending over a period of more than thirty years, will shortly be published in collected form undst" the authority of his executors, who have already made the necessary arrangements. The seamen belonging to the vessels in Port Chalmers and at Dunedin were entertained the other evening at tea in the Seaman's Rest, in Kattray-street. Afterwards addresses were given by gentlemen interested in their welfare, and some appropriate selections were rendered by ladies connected with the institution. At the late Christchurch Agricultural Show the takings at the road gate amounted bo £520. It is understood that close on 2500 people availed themselves of the railway for getting to the grounds. Including life members and attendants upon exhibits and booths, etc., close upon 15,000 people are accounted for. This is between 4000 and 5000 less than last year. The new Lady Superintendent of the Hospital, Miss Windred, has arrived in Auckland, and at once assumed her new duties. The members of the Hospital Board who have come in contact with her are very favourably impressed, and are sanguine that their official relations with Lady Superintendent will prove as pleasant as were those existing with her predecessor. The improvements at the Art Gallery in the roofing and ventilation are now completed. They have been carried out by the city workmen under the supervision of the City Engineer. Formerly the atmosphere was simply stifling, owing to the defective ventilation, when any number of persons were in ti.e hall, but the alterations now effected will obviate the inconveniences hitherto experienced. "Aulas" in the Australasian tells the following story :—" I saw one man on the Derby day who had a piece of luck in a small way. Just before the Maribyrnong was run, he was going down with a friend to back Rudolph. On his way he picked up a bead ornament. 'What is this?' •That,' said the friend, 'is a necklet.' ' Necklet ? Isn't there a horse of that name in the race ? By Jove, this is a Mascotte ; I'll back Necklet instead of Rudolph.' And he did, and Necklet won, and he can show the money and the necklet to convince the sceptical." .